The New Voices of Fantasy

Jacob Weisman and Peter S. Beagle

2018 World Fantasy Award nominee

In these nineteen stories, the enfants terribles of fantasy have entered the building—a love-starved, ambulatory skyscraper.The New Voices of Fantasy is where you’ll discover the most exciting, must read, up-and-coming fantasy writers of the last five years.

What would you do if a tornado wanted you to be its Valentine? Or if a haunted spacesuit banged on your door? When is the ideal time to turn into a tiger? Would you post a supernatural portal on Craigslist?

In these nineteen stories, the enfants terribles of fantasy have entered the building—a love-starved, ambulatory skyscraper. The New Voices of Fantasy tethers some of the fastest-rising talents of the last five years. Their tales were hand-picked by the legendary Peter S. Beagle (The Last Unicorn) and genre expert Jacob Weisman (The Treasury of the Fantastic).

So go ahead, join the Communist revolution of the honeybees. The new kids got your back.

Praise for The New Voices of Fantasy

io9 – August Reading ListBooklist – August – SF/Fantasy/Horror Spotlight: The Top 10 Science fiction/Fantasy from Aug-July 2017Barnes & Noble Best Science Fiction and Fantasy Books of August 2017Geekiverse 8 Hot Sci-fi and Fantasy Releases For the Hot Days of AugustA Bookish Hot New Release

[STARRED REVIEW] “A companion piece of sorts to Beagle’s critically acclaimed anthology, The Secret History of Fantasy (2010)—a collection of stories that transcended the conventions and clichés of contemporary fantasy—Beagle and Weisman’s latest contains 19 comparable stories from some of the genre’s most innovative and exciting new voices.Although most of the authors included here may not be household names like the ones in the earlier collection (which featured works from Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and Octavia E. Butler, among others), the quality of the stories is undeniable. Also undeniable is the impressive diversity of storylines, which range from the whimsy of Ben Loory’s “The Duck,” about a bird who falls hopelessly in love with a rock, to the horror of Carmen Maria Machado’s Nebula Award-nominated “The Husband Stitch,” a darkly lyrical and deeply disturbing look at a woman with a penchant for storytelling whose life becomes a twisted tale. E. Lily Yu’s “The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” is particularly memorable. A political fable that works on multiple levels, it chronicles a conflict between a nest of imperialistic wasps and a colony of peaceful bees. A few young bees begin questioning the violent new world order and plot rebellion. Other standout selections include “Tornado’s Siren” by Brooke Bolander, a love story featuring a tornado and a girl, and Alyssa Wong’s Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winning “Hungry Daughters and Starving Mothers,” which puts an innovative twist on the vampire mythos with a story about a young woman who, after realizing she can find sustenance consuming people’s thoughts, becomes addicted to eating the darkest. While all 19 pieces are exceptional, the anthology’s title is a bit of a misnomer; some stories were originally published as far back as 2012. A stellar anthology that proves not only that fantasy is alive and well, but that it will be for years to come.”
—Kirkus

[STARRED REVIEW] “This excellent anthology showcases up-and-coming speculative fiction writers, many of whom have received award nominations and critical attention to support their status as future influencers of the genre. The anthology opens with Alyssa Wong’s Nebula-winning “Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers,” a gripping story of creatures who walk among humans and feed on ugliness. The stories vary in tone: Amal El-Mohtar’s “Wing” is lyrical, A.C. Wise’s “The Practical Witch’s Guide to Acquiring Real Estate” is gently humorous, and Carmen Maria Machado’s “The Husband Stitch” is haunting. Some, such as E. Lily Yu’s beautiful “The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees,” eschew the well-worn Western setting that is the English-language-fantasy default; others, such as Brooke Bolander’s “Tornado’s Siren,” thoughtfully embrace their American and European settings. Fantasy legend Beagle and Tachyon publisher Weisman have provided a valuable snapshot of SF/F’s newest generation of writers.”
—Publishers Weekly

[STARRED REVIEW] “This anthology represents some of the most exciting and interesting work in the fantasy field today, and anyone interested in the genre should read it immediately.”—Booklist

“For readers who are anticipating the end of HBO’s Game of Thrones and looking for new fantasy authors to follow, this 19-story-strong collection provides plenty to sample.”
—Library Journal

“Delightful and discomforting, indelible and self-assured, the stories of New Voices of Fantasy take our familiar old world and imagine it anew. In amongst the dancing buildings, lovelorn tornadoes, and domesticated vampires, we find our deepest truths dressed in fresh and unexpected garments. Rest easy, lovers of the genre: the future is in excellent hands.”
—Helene Wecker, author of The Golem and the Jinni

“The New Voices of Fantasy is a fabulous collection of vivid, surprising, and remarkable stories. Highly recommended.”
—Kate Elliott, author of Poisoned Blade and The Very Best of Kate Elliott

“These stories give me hope.”
—Michael Swanwick, author of Bones of the Earth and Not So Much, Said the Cat

“The key word in this anthology’s title is new, and if that doesn’t quicken your heart, a sampling of the impressively diverse voices will.”
—See the Elephant

“What Beagle does with this anthology is an elegant passing of the writing pen to a younger generation of fantasy writers . . . I recommend this anthology to anyone who loves fantasy.”
—Infinite Text

“If these ladies and gentlemen represent the future of fantasy we are in for a wild and terrific ride. 10/10 stars”
—Fantasy Faction

“With The New Voices of Fantasy, Jacob Weisman and Peter S. Beagle have composed one of the strongest fantasy anthologies I have read in a long time, brimming with extraordinary tales that range from thought-provoking to spine-tingling.”
—The Brazen Bull

“Overall, The New Voices of Fantasy is a very strong collection and one that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend. It is perfect for anyone who looking to discover some of the newest talent in the genre, as well as for anyone who just loves a good story.”
—The Illustrated Page

“An excellent starting point for people who may not have come across them yet—get in on the ground floor, type of thing, so you can follow what are sure to be excellent bibliographies.”
—Venturereadlaxre

“There’s no collective theme to these stories other than they’re all beautifully crafted and chosen to represent the best of the genre.”
—A Novel Haul

“The quality of the writing and the ideas presented is unbelievably high . . . I defy anyone to not find at least one gem inside that makes this box of treasures worthwhile.”
—A. M. Steiner, author of The Censor’s Hand

“Immediate, entertaining and fun.”
—Blue Book Balloon

“Each [story] is a shining example of the genre, featuring gorgeous sentences, images that stick in the mind, and heartbreaking loss.”
—World Literature Today

“This is 100% the sort of anthology that you would expect Peter S. Beagle to put together. If you know and love his writing, read it.”
—Wysznupane

“If you think fantasy is only about elves, trolls and witches, you will be impressed to see how extraordinary diverse this collection of stories is. If the future of the genre is sampled in this book, we are in for a treat!”
—Curious SFF Reader

“There are some exquisitely written pieces in this anthology. All of them are worthy.”
—Nonstop Reader

“This anthology is without any kind of doubt one of the best anthologies of the year.”
—Risingshadow

“Peter S. Beagle and Jacob Weisman bring together a wide selection of talent, with a broad range of topics—there is something for everyone in this collection—to create a stunning collection that will just draw you in. A perfect way to find new writers in the fantasy genre.”
—The Flutterby Room

About the Authors and Editors

Peter S. Beagle (editor) is the bestselling author of The Last Unicorn, which has sold over five million copies since its initial publication in 1968. His other novels include A Fine & Private Place, The Innkeeper’s Song, Tamsin, Summerlong and In Calabria. His short fiction collections include The Rhinoceros Who Quoted Nietzsche, The Line Between, and Sleight of Hand. Beagle has won the Hugo, Nebula, Mythopoeic, and Grand Prix de l’Imaginaire awards and the World Fantasy Award for Lifetime Achievement. He lives in Richmond, California.

Brooke Bolander is a short story writer who admits she “writes weird things of indeterminate genre.” She is a self-professed admirer of Peter S. Beagle, and her stories have appeared in Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, and the anthology Aliens: Recent Encounters. She lives in Brooklyn.

Amal El-Mohtar is a Canadian author of more than twenty stories of science fiction and fantasy and edits the poetry magazine Goblin Fruit. The Honey Month, a short collection of her stories, was published in 2011. She has received the Locus Award and three Rhysling Awards, and has been nominated for the Nebula, World Fantasy, and Aurora awards. Her stories have appeared in Shimmer, Strange Horizons, Lackington’s, Lightspeed, Uncanny, and most recently in The Starlit Wood. She lives in Ottawa.

Eugene Fischer studied physics at Trinity University and is a graduate of both the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop in San Diego. His writing has appeared in Asimov’s and Strange Horizons. His 2016 novella “The New Mother” won the James Tiptree, Jr. Award, was awarded 2nd place for the Sturgeon Award, and was nominated for the Nebula Award. He currently lives in Austin, Texas where he helped create a science fiction writing summer camp for children.

Max Gladstone is the author of the Craft sequence, beginning with his debut novel, Three Parts Dead. He is the creator of the urban fantasy serial Bookburners and (with Lindsay Smith) The Witch Who Came in from the Cold. He has two novels forthcoming and is working on George R. R. Martin’s Wild Cards anthology series. Gladstone was nominated for the John W. Campbell Award twice and has also been nominated for the Lambda and Mythopeic awards. He lives in Somerville, Massachusetts.

Maria Dahvana Headley is a New York Times-bestselling author, editor, playwright, and screenwriter. She is the author of four novels, a memoir, and co-edited the anthology Unnatural Creatures with Neil Gaiman. Her debut young adult novel, Magonia, came out in 2015. Her short stories have been finalists for the Shirley Jackson and Nebula awards, and have appeared in Lightspeed, Subterranean, Tor.com, Clarkesworld, Fantasy & Science Fiction, and Shimmer.

A converted screenwriter, Ben Loory has published a collection of short stories, Stories for Nighttime and Some for the Day, and a children’s book, The Baseball Player and the Walrus. He has an MFA in screenwriting and teaches at UCLA Extension. Loory has also appeared on This American Life. He lives in Los Angeles.

Carmen Maria Machado has been published in numerous outlets Shimmer, The New Yorker, Granta, and The Paris Review and her stories have been in four best of the year anthologies. She has been awarded several writing fellowships and has been nominated for the Shirley Jackson, Nebula, and Calvino awards. Machado’s first collection Her Body and Other Parties will be out in 2017. She lives in Philadelphia.

Bram Stoker winner and Nebula nominated author Usman T. Malik is a Pakastani writer of speculative fiction. He has been published in Nightmares, Black Static, Strange Horizons, Tor.com, as well as in at least four best of the year anthologies. Malik led Pakistan’s first speculative fiction writing workshop in Lahore. He lives in Florida.

Sarah Pinsker is a singer/songwriter with three albums on various independent labels. She is a very prolific author of short fiction, having published more than forty stories since 2012, including numerous contributions to Asimov’s Science Fiction, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Lightspeed, Strange Horizons, and Daily Science Fiction. She has received the Nebula and Theodore Sturgeon awards. Pinsker lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Hannu Rajaniemi is the author of The Quantum Thief, The Fractal Prince, The Causal Angel, and Hannu Rajaniemi: Collected Fiction. His works have received Finland’s top science fiction honor, the Tahtivaeltaja Award, as well as the Locus and Campbell awards in the United States. He lives in ever-changing international locations.

Adam Ehrlich Sachs studied atmospheric science at Harvard, where he wrote for the Harvard Lampoon. His fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, n+1, Harper’s, and he has written nonfiction for Publishers Weekly, Paris Review Daily, and LitHub. He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

World Fantasy award winner Sofia Samatar is an Somali-American writer, poet, and professor. Her short stories and first novel, A Stranger in Olondria, have garnered numerous accolades and awards. Samatar teaches at James Madison University and edits the poetry journal, Interfictions: A Journal of Interstitial Arts. She lives in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Kelly Sandoval‘s work has appeared in Shimmer, Asimov’s, Uncanny, Strange Horizons, Shattered Prism, and Grimdark Magazine, and The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy. Sandoval graduated from the Clarion West writers workshop in 2013. She lives in Seattle.

Chris Tarry’s debut story collection, How to Carry Bigfoot Home, was published in 2015. His fiction has appeared in the Literary Review, On Spec, Grain, the G. W. Review, PANK, Bull Men’s Fiction, Monkeybicycle, and elsewhere. Tarry’s short story “Here Be Dragons” was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He lives in Brooklyn.

Ursula Vernon is the artist and illustrator of the Digger and Dragonbreath graphic novels, along with many other young-reader stories and graphic novels. Vernon’s Digger series won the Eisner and Hugo awards and her story “Jackalope Wives” was the winner of the Nebula and WSFA Small Press awards. She lives near Pittsboro, North Carolina.

Jacob Weisman (editor) is the publisher at Tachyon Publications, which he founded in 1995. He is a three-time World Fantasy Award nominee and is the series editor of Tachyon’s critically-acclaimed, award–winning novella line, including the Hugo Award-winner, The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson, and the Nebula and Shirley Jackson award-winner, We Are All Completely Fine by Daryl Gregory. Weisman has edited the anthologies Invaders: 22 Tales from the Outer Limits of Literature, The Sword & Sorcery Anthology (with David G. Hartwell), and The Treasury of the Fantastic (with David M. Sandner). He lives in San Francisco.

The short stories of A. C. Wise have appeared in Fantasy Magazine, Clarkesworld Magazine, Apex, Shimmer, Uncanny Magazine and many others. Her stories have appeared in numerous anthologies. Wise has two collections of stories, The Ultra Fabulous Glitter Squadron Saves the World Again and Kissing Booth Girl. She lives near Philadelphia.

Alyssa Wong is still studying writing even though she already has a Nebula Award and has been shortlisted for the Pushcart Prize, Bram Stoker, Locus, and Shirley Jackson awards. Her work has appeared in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Strange Horizons, Nightmares, Black Static, and Tor.com. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina.

JY Yang is the author of the Tensorate series of novellas forthcoming from Tor.com (The Red Threads of Fortune, The Black Tides of Heaven). Their short stories have appeared in venues like Uncanny, Lightspeed, and Strange Horizons. J graduated from the Clarion West class of 2013 and received their MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia. They live in Singapore.

In the short time that E. Lily Yu has been writing speculative fiction, she has won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer and been nominated for the Hugo, World Fantasy, Sturgeon, Nebula, and Locus awards. Her stories have appeared in McSweeney’s, Boston Review, Clarkesworld, F&SF, and The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year. She lives near Seattle.

Praise for the anthologies of Jacob Weisman and Peter S. Beagle

On The Secret History of Fantasy edited by Peter S. Beagle

“All 17 stories eschew all or most of the conventions of commercial fantasy . . . Start reading and expect to enjoy.”
—Booklist

“…set[s] out to rewrite our concept of fantasy, and with the help of some of the world’s best writers, succeeds admirably.”
—The Agony Column

“This is a very well-done collection: The stories are all, in many different ways, pleasures to read.”
—The Civilian Reader

On Invaders: 22 Tales from the Outer Limits of Literature edited by Jacob Weisman

A Kirkus Science Fiction and Fantasy Book You’ll Want to Read in July
A 2016 Publishers Weekly Best Summer Read

[STAR] “In this very fine reprint anthology, Weisman has brought together 22 SF stories by authors who, although not generally associated with the genre, are clearly fellow travelers (not the ominous invaders suggested by the title) . . . This volume is a treasure trove of stories that draw equally from SF and literary fiction, and they are superlative in either context.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Invaders is a playful and imaginative exploration of what it means to write in the field of science fiction”
—AV Club

“From the first page to the last, Invaders surprised and intoxicated me, offering one stirring, visionary, warm-hearted, funny, probing story after another.”
—Kevin Brockmeier, author of A Few Seconds of Radiant Filmstrip

“For almost forty years I’ve believed and practiced and preached that there’s no necessary distance between ‘high literature’ and ‘science fiction.’ Invaders is convincing proof. Funny, absurd, frightening, streetwise, probing, heartbreaking — the fiction collected here touches all registers.”
—Carter Scholz, author of The Amount to Carry: Stories and Radiance

“[O]ne of the best SFF collections I’ve read in years. It’s a smorgasbord of visionary and thought-provoking stories…”
—Battered, Tattered, Yellowed, & Creased